Unusual Silver cross

[bigjerryok]

Any ideas, everyone? About 4cm across. Next to a 10c (euros) coin as a guide.

 

[ARC]

Info info info...
Where found ? IE: beach ? land ? and general location in the world... State would help etc.
PICS... need pics of back and or any marks IF so.

 

[bigjerryok]

Ireland in a field. The back is pretty toasted - flat, with a few linear diamond scraping marks on the back.

 

[ARC]

That's what I thought...
I knew this piece was not Americas...
This is EXTREMELY nice... and VERY rare.
It is a religious artifact... and a banner find.

 

[ARC]

P.S> Take great care not to clean or drop this piece...
You have found a truly remarkable piece.
Notice the fiber stuffed into holes.
DO NOT REMOVE IT !!!

 

[bill from lachine]

bigjerryok,

Beautiful piece and certainly some serious age to it.....it appears celtic inspired design.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[bigjerryok]

Arrgg - just did clean it and some of the fibre dropped out. Thanks for the comments.

 

[ARC]

Arrgg - just did clean it and some of the fibre dropped out. Thanks for the comments.

Try to get fiber and keep in small plastic bag...
Do not polish.. or use anything like Tarnex or cleaners...
This is worth more "as is" than cleaned.
Do not clean any further... arrg

 

[deepsecrets]

Looks to be, possibly Spanish in origin - reliquary - may be 16thC - did you find it near west coast of Ireland?

 

[bigjerryok]

Thanks a million, guys. BTW - what is a banner find? Also, after I washed it, a small piece of fabric fell out, and I noticed some spots on our metal sink. I washed them off and have to do whatever it was did a great job of cleaning the metal! Is there any significance to the fabric? Found in county Kilkenny so not near coast, although have found Portuguese and some nautical stuff.

 

[bill from lachine]

bigjerryok,

First off the banner gets the find up on the top of the page and is voted by the members who consider a find to be something rare or very valuable.

Insofar as the fibers.....you can't do a carbon test on metal to determine age, however, you can on fibers/fabrics it would make it easier to narrow down the age of the find.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[deepsecrets]

Very nice find! Lots of history around Kilkenny - you might consider taking it to Rothe House and having them take a look to date the piece?

 

[bigjerryok]

Thanks Bill. Wow! Honoured to be a banner find! Now then - HH? I know HTH (hope that helps) but not HH!

 

[bigjerryok]

Thanks, Deepsecrets. Hmmm - the historical establishment in Ireland are not always that welcoming to people who find things.

 

[deepsecrets]

Totally understand your reluctance on the matter. Hopefully someone here on the forum can provide some help; otherwise you may have visit the National Museum in Dublin to look at artifacts?

 

[SkaBa]

Thanks Bill. Wow! Honoured to be a banner find! Now then - HH? I know HTH (hope that helps) but not HH!

Means Happy Hunting

 

[tamrock]

Nice find. No clue of the period other then it's old looking...Appears to be a form of Maltese cross History of the Maltese Cross.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Thanks a million, guys. BTW - what is a banner find? Also, after I washed it, a small piece of fabric fell out, and I noticed some spots on our metal sink. I washed them off and have to do whatever it was did a great job of cleaning the metal! Is there any significance to the fabric? Found in county Kilkenny so not near coast, although have found Portuguese and some nautical stuff.

Can you put up some pics after you cleaned it?Was the cleaning just with water and no chemicals?If so a rainstorm would have done the same.

 

[ARC]

AHHH yes the cross...
Sheesh a banner cross and hammer in one day here
Listen man...
The "stuff" in those holes was put there on purpose...
It can be anything from human hairs... to something like a piece of the shroud of Turin or similiar...
I mean there is something really religious and REALLY important stuffed in there...
They just don't grab a hunk of something...
this is a piece of some relic or religious item...
that is why it is there ...
for healing... protection etc.
You have DEFINATLEY found an absolute banner piece.
Congrats.
This hinges on further id and authentic age...
Stupendous find.

 

[cw0909]

wow fantastic, i should do my retirement across the pond, your cross looks
similar to these Pendant reliquary cross From the 13th century onwards

Pendant reliquary cross | V&A Search the Collections
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